Portable receptacle



May 9 1933- H. HUBBELL, JR 1,907,817

PORTABLE RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 11. 1929A view,

Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES HARVEY HUIBBELL, TR., OF BRIDGEYOBT, CONN'EUIIC'UT PORTABLE RECEPTACLE Application filed February 11, 1929. Serial No. 339,126.

This invention relates to a receptacle for plugging inattachment plug caps connected with electrical devices for supplying current thereto and has for an object to provide a device of this character which is easily portable and may be laced on a table or other suitable support, an is so constructed as to receive at one time the attachment plug caps of a plurality of devices.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which is neat and attractive in appearance, and one in which the slots to receive the blade contacts are substantially continuous so that the cap may be plugged in at practically any position desired, and in which the slots are of suiiicientextent so that a plu- 4 rality of caps may be plugged in at the same time.

Itis another object of the invention to provide an improved construction which may be easily assembled and which requires comparatively little spaoe as compared with the number of caps which may be plugged in.

With the foregoing and other objects in the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully de scribed in connection withthe accompanying drawing. In this drawing, Fig. 1 isa vertical section through the device. v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation and partial section of the lower member of the device.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof showing the lower receptacle contact in position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper or center member of the body construction.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan viewthereof showing the upper receptacle contact in position.

Fig. 7 is a partial side elevation and partial section of the intermediate member of the body construction. I

Fig. 8 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the closing member for the under side of the body.

Fig. 1() is a partial side view thereof, and

Fig. l1 is a detail section substantially on line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

This improved construction of receptacle is shown in assembled relation in Figs. 1 and 2. It comprises a body member composed of a plurality of superposed members o`r sections molded of insulating material, preferably of a phenolic condensation product.

The body may be of various shapes without departing from the principle of the invention, but the specific construction shown is substantially circular in outline and the outer walls of the various sections are tapered so that it is generally conical in shape. lower member' or section 12 is the largest of the three members and is formed with upright substantially c lindrical side walls 13 with an inclined sur thereof. The member is somewhat dished on its top wall to receive the intermediate member 15. This latter member is of somewhat smaller diameter than the member 12 and has an inclined peripheral surface 16 which is in substantial alignment with the surface 14 of the member 12 when this member is seated in the lower member. This intermediate member is also somewhat dished 'at its upper surface to receive the upper or central member 17 which has an inclined peripheral surface 18 in substantial alignment with the inclined surface 16 of the intermediate'member. In assembling, these three members are placed one upon the other in superposed relation as shown in Fig. 1 and in somewhat nesti i ed relation as thevvlower members are somewhat dished. The members are so proportioned that when4 so assembled the outer peripheral edges of adjacent members are spaced from each other to provide substantially continuous slots 19 and 20, slot 19 being between the members `12 and 15, and the slot 2O between the members 15 and 17, and these slots are in the inclined surface of the body member formed by the surfaces 14, 16 and 18 of the respective sections. In order to insure that these slots are of substantially uniform width throughout their entire extent one of The `i ace 14 at the upper end 6 the adjacent members forming each slot is provided with spacing lugs. In the construction shown the lower member 12 is rovided with lugs 21 on which the under side of the intermediate member 15 rests when in assembled position, and the intermediate member 1 '1.2 is provided with similar lu 22 on which slots 19 andl 20 and in whichl chambers are mounted receptacle contacts 25 and 26 respectively. These contacts are madesubstantially coextensive with their respective slots 19 and 20 so that no matter in what part of the slots the bladecontacts, indicated in dotted lines 27, Fig. 1 of an attachment plug 20,

' are inserted in these slots they will engage these receptacle contacts for proper elecf trical connection. In the circular-receptacle shown the two contacts and 26 are substan- Vtially circular and they are cut or slotted from their outer peripheries transversely or' substantially radially thereof to provide individually yieldable portions. Thus the con-A tact 25, as shown in'Fig. 4, is slotted at suitable intervals, as shownat 29, from the outer 1 edge thereof providing individually yielding portions 30. These -portions are all connected by the ring portion 31 so that they are electrically connected', and when mounted in the base or lower member 12 this ring portion seats in an annular groove in the to wall y of the base member and is held therein y the lower rim v32 of the intermediate member 15. The -ring portion 31 has an ear 33 out therefrom extending down through an opening 34 in the top wall of the lower member 12 so as to extend into the chamber 35' on the under f side of the base member for connection to one of the lead wires 36, this wire being connected to this ear by any suitable means, such as soldering.

The upper receptacle Contact 26 is of somewhat smaller diameter thanthe lower Contact but is similarly cut -transversely from its outer edge, as shown at 37, Fig. 6, to provide separate yieldable portions 38. Thesel portions are connected by a central portion' 39 which when assembled in the receptacle rests on the upper wall of the intermediate mem.- bei 15 and is held thereon by the lower wall ofthe top member 17. This member, however, has a central opening preferably surrounded by a flange 40 to engage a central bolt or eyelet 41. This bolt or eyelet is of metal and forms electrical contact with the member 26, the flange 40 referably having a forced tit on the shouldered portion 41', and may extend through all three of the body sections 12, 15 and 17, but it preferably has a head 42 molded in the upper member 17 and it then extends downwardly through the intermediate and bottom members 15 and l2 `an electrical connection from the upper contact 26 to the under side of the body where it is connected to the other lead wire 44 by any suitable means, such as soldering.

i It will, therefore, be evident that the operai tion of assembling is a very simple one, the contact 26 being placed in the lower body member, the intermediate section 15 being placed-thereon, the upper contact 26 having een forced to position on the bolt or eyelet 41 the upper section 17 with this contact is then seated on the intermediate section with the eyelet 41 passing down through the sections, and by rolling over its lower end the elements are all secured together. v

'The leads 36 and 44 may be connected to any suitable source of current preferably by means of an attachment plug cap similar to the cap 28 so that it may be plugged into a. Wall or floor receptacle. The yieldable portions 30 and 38 of the tworeceptacle contacts are preferably somewhat curved transversely, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to insure proper lengagement with the blade contacts l27 and to yieldably engage the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 13, and oneor more of` these earsmay be provided with a lug 48 cut and extending outwardly therefrom, as

shown in Fig. 11, to engage the inner wall of the base member and by its resilient action retain the closure in position. The disc 45 may also be recessed to receive felt pads 49 to form supports for the device and prevent marring of the finished top of the table or other surface on which the device may be placed.

'It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the blade contacts of the attachment plug caps 28 may be inserted in" the slots 19 and 20 at practically any position throughout the extent of these slots, and the operation of plugging in is, therefore, greatly simplified as it is not necessary to locate small openings which are only slightly larger than the blades themselves. A still further advantage of this receptacle is that several caps 28 may be inserted at one time so that a plurality of different electrical devices may be operated from this single portable receptacle. It will also be obvious that whereas the receptacle illustrated is circular in outline it may be ofv other shapes, such as oval, square, rectangular, hexagonal or other shapes as desiredwithout departing from the principle of the invention. i

Having thus set forth the nature of my 1uvention, what I claim is:

1. In a portable receptacle, a plurality of superposed nested dished members of insulating material spaced from each other at their outer surfaces to provide spaced vextended slots adapted to receive the contact blades of a plurality of attachment plug caps at one time, the lower of said members forming a base to rest on a support and carry the other members, contacts mounted between the members to engage said blade contacts, and means for connecting lead wires withv said receptacle contacts.

2. In a portable receptacle, an insulating body comprising a plurality of superposed nested dished sections spaced at their outer surfaces to provide a pair of spaced peripheral slots to receive the contacts of attachment plug caps, the lower of said sections providing a base to rest on a support and carry the other sections, spaced recep tacle contacts mounted in said body substany tially coextensive with said slots and adapted ripheral slots to receive time, the lower to engage said cap contacts when inserted in the slots, and means in. the base section for connecting lead wires with the receptacle contacts. y

3. In a portable receptacle, a plurality ofl superposed nested dished members' of insulating material and of progressivelydecreasing size spaced from each other at their outer surfaces to provide a pair of spaced pethe blade contacts of a plurality of attachment plug caps at one of said members forming a base to rest on a table or other support and fcarry the other members, receptacle contacts mounted in alignment with said slots to en- A gage the blade contacts when inserted in the slots, and means for connecting lead wires with said receptacle contacts.

4. In a portable receptacle, a body4 member comprising a plurality of nested dished seotions of insulating material of progressively decreasing size mounted in spaced relation to provide apair of spaced slots of sufficient extent to simultaneously receive the blade contacts of a plurality of attachment plug caps, receptacle contacts mounted behind the slots and substantially coextensive therewith, and means for connecting lead wires with the receptacle contacts. g 5. In a" portable receptacle, a body of insulating material having a base to rest on a table top or similar support and also having spaced slots each in the form of a substantially closed loop, said slots being adapted to rey ceive the spaced blade contacts of attachment plug caps, receptacle contacts mounted in the rear .of said slots and substantially coextensive therewith to be engaged by the blade contacts, and means forconnectinglead 'I wires with said contacts. v

6. In a portable receptacle, a body comprising a plurality of nested sections of insulating material of progressively decreasing diameter, said sections bein spaced from each other at their outer perip cries to provide a pair of spaced slotsto receive the`- ceptacle contacts substantially coextensive with the slots mounted to the rear thereof to ,blade contacts of attachment plug caps, re-

engage said contacts, and means for connecting lead wires with said contacts.

7. In a portable receptacle, a body of insulating material comprising a plurality of nested dished sections mounted one upon the other and having inclined peripheral surlfaces in alignment, the peripheries of said sections being spaced to rovide a pair of spaced slots to receive t e blade contacts of attachment plug caps, receptacle contacts mounted between the sections to the rear of p said slots to engage the blade contacts,- and means for connecting lead wires with the receptacle contacts.

8. In a portable receptacle, a'body member of insulating material comprising-a plurality of superposed sections spaced at their periph-- cries to provide a pair of spaced slots for insertion of the blade contacts ofattachment4 plug caps, thelower section forming a base to rest on a table top or other support, receptacle contactsmounted to vtherear of sai slots, a metal connecting member extending from theupper to the lower section serving to secure the sections together, and forming a conductor to the upper receptacle contact, means in the base for connecting a lead to said conductor, and means in the base for connecti ing a lead with the other receptacle contact.

9. In a portable receptacle, a body of insulating material comprising a base section open at the bottom with upright side walls and dished top wall-with an inclined outer surface joining the two, an intermediate cupped member seated in the dished portion of the first member and having an outer i'nclined surface aligned with that of the first v section, said sections being spaced attheir p peripheries to provide a slot, a third section mounted in the intermediate section and provided with an outer inclined surface in alignment with those of the other sections, said latter sectionv being spaced from the interme i diate section to provide a second slot, receptacle contacts mounted between the sections to the rear of the slots and substantially coextensive therewith, and means for connecting lead wires with said contacts.

10. In a portable receptacle, a plurality of superposed members of insulatingmaterial spaced from each other at their outer surfacesto providel a pair of spaced peripheral slots to receive the blade contacts of a lurality of attachment plug caps at one time,

i one of the members adjacent each slot being provided with lugs to engage the other member and retain them in proper spaced relation, receptacle contacts mounted between the members to the rear of the slots, and means for connecting lead Wires with the receptacle contacts.

11. In a portable receptacle, a plurality of superposed nested dished members of insulating material spaced from each other at their outer surfaces to rovide a pair of spaced continuous perip ieral slots to receive the blade contacts of a plurality of attachment plug caps at one time, receptacle contacts mounted between adjacent members and to the rear of said slots, said receptacle contacts being substantially coextensive with their respective slots and cut transversely at intervals to provide individually yieldable portions to engage the blade contacts, and means for connecting lead Wires to the receptacle contacts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARVEY HUBBELL, JR. 

